Clip-bending machine



Jan. 10,1928. 1,655,747,

' H. A. WAGNER CLIPYBENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet I IN VEN TOR. Henry A. Wagner Jan. 10, 1928.

1,655,747 H. A. WAGNER CLIP BENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' IN VEN TOR.

Henry A Way/Yer ATTORN Jan. 10, 1928.

H. A. WAGNER 1,655,747

CLIP BENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. .1, 192 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Henry A. Way/Yer 1 11- IX- BY M Arromazys.

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Henry 19. Way/ref AT 0 NEYS.

Patented Jan. 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. W'AGNER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'TO THE V/ILLYS-OVERLAND COM- IPANY, F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CLIP -BEND-ING MACHINE.

Application filed September 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,645.

This invention relates to machines. lor bending wire clips such for example as are employed to connect ad12111t springs or spring cushions and it is an object of this invention to provide an improved machine of this nature which shall automatically convert a continuous length of wire into clips of the desired shape. I

Other objects relating to details or con struction and economies of manufacturewill appear as I proceed with the detailed description to follow.

A structure constituting an embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing t'orming a part of this specification in which:

Figure I is atop plan view of the complete machine.

Fig. II is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. III is a vertical sectional View through the main shaft taken on the line III-III 01 Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a vertical sectional View taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. I.

Fig. V is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to Fig. IV taken on the line VV of Fig.1.

Figs. VI, VIIand VIII are vertical sectional views taken respectivelyon lines VI, V II and VIII 01. Figure I.

Fig. IX is a fragmentary view, on a larger scale of the cut-off mechanism.

Figs. to XIII inclusive are diagram-- matic views showing the various stages of bending the wire clip and Fig. XIV is a perspective view of a tinished wire clip.

2 Throughout the drawing the same reference numbers refer to the same parts of the structure.

A. base frame 5 supports a main shaft (3 having atight pulley 7 and a loose pulley 8 and also a shaft 9 connected by spur gearing to be intermittently rotated from the main shaft 6 by a Geneva movement 10. By this means the shaft 9 is given one rotatlon each time the main shaft completes a rotation and its movement serves to reciprocate a cross head 11 sliding on a guide 12, connection being made through a connecting rod 13 and disk 14: mounted on the shaft 9. The wire from which the clips are made passes from a reel or coil not shown, through the straightening rolls 1510 a gripping device 16 on the cross-head 11 from whence it passes through a second gripping device 17 and through a guide 18 to the bending mechanism. The parts thus far described are well. known in wire bending machines and form no part of my invention.

Before proceeding with the description of that part of the machine by which the wire bent into the desired form, I shall describe briefly the various bending operations by means of the diagrammatic views comprising Figs. X to XIII. The wire, indicated by the letter W, after passing through the oscillatable guide 18 and over the shear member 20 by which it is cut into the proper lengths extends acrossthe face of each of three rotatable heads 21, 22 and 23. Each head has a forwardly extending lip or segment 24- and a central rod 25, the wire passing between the segment and the rod in each case. Starting with the parts in the position shown in Fig. X the first operation after the wire is cut off, is the rotation of the two outer heads, 21 and 23 to the positions shown in Fig. XI, thus forming a hook at each end of the wire. The head 21 is then rotated in the opposite direction to its original position and the central rod'25 is withdrawn to free the hook thus formed. By the next operation, the center head 22 is rotated to the position indicated by Fig. XIII thus bending the wire double intermediate its ends. The center head is now returned to its original posi-- tion and the center rods of both heads 22 and 23 are withdrawn as in the case of head .21. The clip thus formed drops into a receptacle and due to the resilience of the wire of which it is made takes the form. substantially as illustrated by Fig. XIV. After the head 23 hasreturned to its original position the parts are in position to receive another length of wire upon which the above described operations are repeated.

The mechanism by which. the above described operations are effected will now be described; As before stated, the cutting oil of the wire is done by the rocking movement of the guide 18' adjacent the shear member 20. This guide is plvotally mounted and has an arm 80 carrying a roller 31 held by a coil spring 111 engagement with a cam 82 on the mam shaft 6. A length of wire is thereby cut oil" at each rotation of the main shaft. inch of: the three heads 2 22 and 23 comprises the outer end of a all hit

spindle such is illustrated by 33 in Fig. IV in connection with the head 23. ll his spindle has a suitable bearing;- in the block ti t and is retained by a strip Guidewavs 230 are formed in the upper portion ()t the frame in which slide rat-ks ST, 38 and ill) which engage pinions ll). ll. and 4-2 l Ol'litNl respectively upon the spindles having heads 21, 92 and 23. rarli carries a roller which rollers bear respectivel v against (rains a3, and carried by; the main sha'tt (5. 'Rael; 39 has an enlarge meut provided with an elongated opening to receive the main shaft. the roller on the end it this racl; being positioned to engage the cam d5 to the right of the shaft instead ot onthe le'lt as in the case of the two other racks. Suitable springs a? engaging pins 4:8 in the racks serve to hold the rollers against the cam tacos. By this mechanism the heads 21, 22 and 23 are caused to rotate the desired amounts and at the proper times.

In order to effect the release of the wire clip after it has been bent to the desired shape the central rods must he withdrawn. These rods are in reality the reduced ends of larger rods 50 which extend through the spindles 33.

A slide 51 having a roller operated by a cam 53 on shaft 5-1 connects as shown with the rear ends of two of the rods 50. namely the rods belonging to heads 22 and J3 so that at each rotation of the shaft 54 the central rods of heads 22 and 23 are drawn back and then released. Return movement of the slide 51 and rods connected therewith effected by a coil spring and the shaft :"i-l. is rotatabl connected to the main shaft by a pair of miter gears 56. In order to be able to vary the length of the wire clip provision is made in the nature of spacing members or shims 57 between the members 3t. It will be obvious that by changing these shims tor thicker or thinner ones clips having an v desired length may he formed. The entire assemhl of hearing hlochs 3-1: and shims is clamped rigidly in the frame by clamping,- bolts 58.

\Vhile the central rods 25 of the two heada 22 and 2? are operated simultaneoustv by the same cam and slide mechanism. the central rod of head 21 is operated by a sel'iarate slide 59, see Figs. I and V. carrying a roller (30 engaginga cam 61 on the same shaft The cams and 61 are so relatedto the cams on the main shaft that the wire clip is released. at the proper time and the central rods pushed out in readiness for a new length of wire. 7

Vhile I have shown and described in de tail a particular preferred structural embodiment as illustrative of my invention, I do not wishto be limited thereby. since various changes might be made therein with out deoarting from the spiritand scope of The opposite end oi' each the invention covered by the appended claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure bv Letters Patent is:

I 1. In a wire clip bending machine having means :tor intermittently :teeding wire there to an oscillatahle guide for said \'l1'(?, a shear member adapted to cooperate with said guide to cut said wire into predetermined lengths, a main shaft, a ram thereon tor oscillating said guide, a plurality oi: rotatable spindles having heads adapted to engage and bend said lengths of wire cams on said shalt for operating sai driven bv said main. shalt cams thereon and rods within said spindles normally pro ect:- inn beyond said heads, said rods being axiallv movable within said spindle and adapted tolhe drawn therehetween by said second named cams for releasing the bent lengths of wire from said heads.

2. In a wire clip bending machine, feeding and severing; mechanisms for the wire. automatic means adapted to simultaneously bend the end portions of the wire into parallel relation with the middle portion thereof. and automatic means for subseqnently bending the wire so that said end portions will lie opposite each other and in parallel relation.

3. In a. wire clip bendingmachine, iteedinn and severing mechanisms for the wire, automatic means adapted at one operation to simultaneously bend the end portions ot the wire so that they will lie parallel to the intermediate portion thereof when released by the bending means, and automatic means tor subsequently liiending the wire at its middle to bring said ends opposite each other.

4;. In a wire clip bending machine for bending wires ot a predetermined length automatic means adapted to simultaneously bend the end portions of the wire so that they will be parallel to the intermediate portion thereo't when released from said headine' means. and automatic means tor subsor, quentl'v bending said in teri'i'iediate portion so that said end portions will lie omiositc each other and in parallel relation.

5. In a wire clip bending machine "for bending wires of a predetermin'ed length. automatic means adapted to first bend the end portions ot the wire into parallel relation with the intermediate portion thereof. and then acting to bend said intermediate portion so that said end portions will register one with the other.

6. In a wire clip bending nntehine tor bending wires of a predetermii'ied length. three rotatable bending devices, two of which are adapted "to bend the ends of the wire and the third adapted to bend the middle portion thereof, an operating shalt, and cams upon said shaft operativelv connected with each of said rotatable devices, two of d heads, an auxiliary shaft said cams being adapted to simultaneously operate the devices for bending the ends of the wire and the other subsequently operating said third bending device.

7. In a wire clip bending machine for bending wires of a predetermined length, three rotatable bending devices, two of which are adapt-ed to bend the ends of the wire and the third adapted to bend the middle portion thereof, an operating shai't, cams upon said shalt operatively connected with each of said rotatable devices, two of said cams bein adapted to simultaneous]. Y o 381% ate the devices for bending the ends of the wire and the other subsequently operating said third bending device, a second shaft connected with the first, and means operated thereby for causing one of said bending de vices to release the portion of the wire bent thereby and subsequently causing the re maining bending devices to move to release position.

8. In a wire clip bending machine for bend- Zing wires of a predetermined length, three rotatable bending devices, two of which are adapted to i'irst bend the ends of the wire and the third being adapted to subsequently bend the middle portion thereof, means for causing each of sald devices to release the wire at predetermined times, a shaft operatively connected with said bending devices to effect rotation of each, and another shaft operatively connected with said devices to cause each to release the wire at predetermined times.

9. In a wire clip bending machine for bending wires of a predetermined length, three rotatable bending devices, two of which are adapted to first bend the ends of the wire and the third being adapted to subsequently bend the middle portion thereof, each. of said devices including a releasable wire engaging member, automatic actuating means for said wire bending devices including a common operating member therefor, and separate means for actuating said releasable members including a common operating member therefor.

10. In a wire clip bending machine for bending wires of a predetermined length, three rotatable bending devices, two ot which are adapted to first bend the ends of the wire and the third being adapted to sub sequently bend the middle portion thereof, a shaft, cams upon said shaft operatively connected with said bending devices for rotating each at the desired time, and means for actuating said shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY A. VAGNER. 

